From 2015 to 2019, I engaged intensively with artificial intelligence, virtual humanoids, human-machine interactions, and the resulting philosophical and cultural questions during my studies at the University of Fine Arts Saar in Saarbrücken. I dealt with the limits and misunderstandings in dealing with AI technologies both theoretically and practically as an artist.
In my bachelor’s thesis “Comparison between Artificial and Real Intelligence” (2017, final grade 1.0), I explored how digital avatars simulate learning processes using genetic algorithms and compared these with the real learning and pain experiences of a human performer. The performance “Learning” utilized the optical Pepper’s Ghost effect for the spatial representation of a digital character. The results clearly highlighted the emotional gap between technical simulation and human experience.
In my master’s thesis, I expanded this approach and delved deeper into the perception and staging of virtual characters and their interactions with humans. Among other things, the following projects emerged:
- Gerkzeuk (2016): A computer-controlled object that autonomously downloads, modifies, and sells images from the internet. This object raised fundamental questions about authorship, machine ethics, and the role of the artist. Through a holographic representation (“Iris”), the machine artist was additionally given a human-like persona.
Link to project page - Pepper’s Ghost Crystals (since 2016): Interactive showcases that holographically depict virtual humanoids and are equipped with facial recognition, emotion analysis, and speech recognition software. This work intensely researched making artificial and human interaction tangible.
Link to project page - Comparison between Artificial and Real Intelligence (2017): A performance in which a digital character, using genetic algorithms, attempts to learn basic motor skills in parallel with a human performer. The work clearly reveals the differences and emotional dimensions between digital simulation and human experience.
Link to project page - Anti-Art (2019): A deliberately simple apparatus with a puppet, controlled by unpredictable impulses, humorously and critically reflects the hype around AI technologies and their frequent overestimation.
Link to project page - Spatial Installation for the Master’s Exhibition (2019): In a scenographic situation, I subjected visitors to a reflective interaction by automatically photographing them and projecting their faces, making themes such as self-perception, data protection, and echo chambers tangible.
Link to project page
These projects were accompanied by theoretical reflections on transparency in design, black box issues, random and deterministic systems, as well as ethical and philosophical dimensions of AI. Inspired by references such as Frieder Nake, Andrew Glassner, and Richard David Precht, I critically engaged with terms and misunderstandings surrounding artificial intelligence, artificial life, and consciousness.
From my artistic research, the following central insights emerged:
- AI technologies can imitate human behavior, but they do not generate genuine emotional depth or authentic empathy. The illusion of human interaction created by machines always remains on a superficial level.
- The misuse of metaphorical terms from biology and neuroscience in technology (such as “neural network” or “intelligence”) significantly contributes to misunderstandings and a mythical overestimation of technical possibilities.
- The use of transparency design and the disclosure of technical processes are essential to alleviate fears and promote critical thinking towards modern technologies.
- Randomness and unpredictability in technical systems often create a perception of magic or autonomy, which can lead to overinterpretation of technical capabilities.
- The cultural and societal reception of AI technologies and virtual characters is strongly influenced by projections and fantasies that are deeply rooted in our psychological tendency to perceive human-like qualities in technical artifacts.
- Despite the apparent autonomy of software and machines, the responsibility always lies with the human who designs, programs, and operates these systems. Machines and software remain tools and will never become independent subjects.
- The question of the meaning of “life” gains new depth through engagement with autonomous and self-reproducing programs like the “Forkbomb” and challenges classical biological definitions.
- Psychologically, the work of scientists, IT technicians, and artists often reveals an unconscious motivation to create artificial beings, comparable to the “womb envy” discussed in psychology. This reflects the deep need to creatively produce life or living systems.
- Object-oriented programming opens up the possibility of reconstructing virtual worlds and invites reflection on the boundaries between reality and simulation.
My work between 2015 and 2019 thus represents a versatile, critical, and innovative engagement with humanity, technology, and their complex relationships, aiming to contribute to a well-founded and reflective public discourse on these topics.
